MIAMI – The FIU baseball program looks to continue their historic start to Conference USA play as they head to Jacksonville, Alabama for a weekend series against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks from Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.

Friday, April. 5 at Jacksonville State

• Time / Site: 7 p.m. at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
• Watch  (ESPN+)
• Live Stats

Saturday, April. 6 at Jacksonville State

• Time / Site: 7 p.m. at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
• Watch  (ESPN+)
• Live Stats

Sunday, April. 7 at Jacksonville State

• Time / Site: 2 p.m. at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium.
• Watch  (ESPN+)
• Live Stats

Last time out, FIU took on the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles this past Tuesday, April 2 from Fort Myers as the game was postponed after three innings due to electrical issues. The resumption of the game will be announced at a later date.
 
In their last CUSA weekend set, the Panthers took two out of three to the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs this past weekend, winning game one on Thursday, 13-4, before taking the series finale on Saturday in an 8-3 victory.
 
FIU improves to an overall 15-13 mark with a 6-3 record in league action. It marks the first time in program history that FIU has taken the first three conference series as members of Conference USA, dating back to their first season in 2014.

This weekend will mark the first CUSA matchup for the two schools while becoming the third meeting between the programs. The Panthers headed to Jacksonville, Alabama for a three-game weekend series from March. 1 – 2, 2019 as FIU took two out of three from the Gamecocks, having won a total of four games in the matchup history.
 
THOSE BATS DID THEIR THING
In the past four games, FIU has combined for a total of 45 hits and 34 runs.

Overall, on the season, the Panthers have recorded 12 games with 10+ hits as a team, boasting the team batting average to .293 and a team-OPS of .877.
 
As a unit, FIU's offense has been lethal with the bat in CUSA play. In nine games, they lead the conference in batting average (.342), hits (102), and runs (84).

STAY HOT, AD!
Austin Dearing is on a tear in his past 16 games donning the Blue and Gold. The redshirt junior has reached base in 15 of his past 16 games, including securing an 15-game on base streak in that stretch.

In the 16-games, Dearing is hitting .392 (20-for-51) with 11 RBI, three 2Bs, and four homers. In the weekend series against Louisiana Tech, the West Virginia native hit homer in back-to-back games on March. 28 and March 29, up to five homers and 15 RBI this season.

MY NAME IS JEFF
The DII transfer Jeff Liquori has been an impactful force in the Panthers lineup, having played in all 28 games primarily in right field.
 
He sits first with 29 RBI driven on the year and second on the team in homers (7). Liquori has bumped his batting average up to .333 after notching 20 hits,14 RBI, and two doubles, and three HRs in his current 12-game hitting streak. It is the longest active hitting streak by a Panther so far this season.

The Lake Mary, Fla. native has recorded a .426 batting average in throughout his 12-game hitting streak including six multi-hit games. Throughout the weekend, Liquori notched a pair of RBI including a solo homer on Saturday, March. 30.
 
THEY CALL HIM THE HIT MACHINE
Ryne Guida has continued to be a pivotal piece in the top order of the Panthers lineup as the designated hitter.
 
In all 28 games played, the senior is hitting .320 with 3 HR and 52 RBI (second on team). Guida has reached base in his past 12 games with 16 hits, four doubles and three RBIs. The senior has logged three multi-hit performances in his past four games including a pair of two-hit games against Louisiana Tech on March. 28 and March. 30.
 
IT'S ALEX'S WORLD AND WE ARE LIVING IN IT
Alex Ulloa has a found a groove with the Panthers in his recent stretch of hitting.
 
Ulloa has racked up 20 hits with 11 RBI in his past 11 games played. The junior currently has six multi-hit games in that stretch alone.
 
Overall, Ulloa has ten multi-hit performances, boasting his batting average to a team lead of .387 in all 28 games played, top eight in CUSA. On Saturday, March. 30, the junior led the team with four RBI including a three-run homer, his fifth of the season.
 
CUSA play has been positives for Ulloa, hitting .457 in league action with two HRs and 10 RBI, all top ten  in Conference USA.
 
THAT BALL IS OUTTA HERE
As a collective unit, the Panthers offense has lit up the box score with homers, 41 total as a ballclub. The 41 HRs sit second overall in Conference USA and 46th in the nation.
 
Over the CUSA weekend, FIU lifted six homers in the three-game span, including three on Friday, March 29 as Dearing, Andre Martinez, and Ronny Medina all went deep.

The power is led by Kishon Frett, who leads the pack with 10 homers on his campaign.

Dearing and Ulloa are tied with five, while Guida and Brylan West have three each.

RYLU IS OUR GUY!
Lefty Ryan Cabarcas has been a swiss arm knife for Rich Witten's program, coming out of the bullpen and starting, doing both against Louisiana Tech.
 
After throwing a scoreless ninth to secure the Panthers victory on Thursday, March. 28, Cabarcas made his first start of 2024 on Saturday, March. 30, allowing no earned runs over four innings with five strikeouts.
 
On the year, the redshirt senior has made 11 appearances with a 4-2 record and a season ERA of 2.66. In 23.2 innings thrown, he has struck out 32 batters, which leads the team.
 
THE ORLY AND LOGAN CONNECTION
The bullpen duo of Orlando Hernandez and Logan Runde have shined out the pen as the mainstays for the Panthers.
 
Hernandez threw a total of five innings over the weekend, including two scoreless frames against Louisiana Tech on Thursday, March. 28 with strikeouts. He gave up an earned in three innings on Saturday, March. 30. The senior leads the team with a ERA of 0.86 in nine appearances.
 
Runde has lowered his ERA to 3.62 after giving up one earned run over 4.1 innings against the Bulldogs. He worked the middle innings on Thursday, giving up no runs over 2.1 innings thrown. The junior closed out the afternoon on Saturday in two innings and two strikeouts with an earned run.

MLB CONNECTIONS
FIU has multiple MLB connections on their roster as pitcher Orlando Hernandez is the son of 4x World Series Champion Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and nephew of Marlins 1997 WS Champion Livan Hernandez.

Pitcher Joel Pineiro is the son of 12-year MLB veteran Joel Pineiro.

Pitcher Owen Puk is the brother of current Marlins relief pitcher AJ Puk.
 
SCOUTING THE GAMECOCKS
Jacksonville State heads into this CUSA weekend series with a 9-19 record, off a series loss to Western Kentucky, swept at home. This past Wednesday, April 3, they fell 18-10 to Troy. The Gamecocks have yet to win a ballgame in there past ten contests.

Offensively, sophomore Caleb Johnson leads the team in RBI (26), doubles (10) and batting average (.303) Currently, Johnson is on a nine-game hitting streak with nine RBI and three HRs in that stretch. Junior Brennen Norton leads the team with 10 homers alongside a .283 batting average in all 28 games played.
 
On the mound, sophomore Josh Sibley has been lockdown out the bullpen, posting a 1.76 ERA with 14 appearances, working 15.1 IP with 22 strikeouts.

UP NEXT
FIU takes on Jacksonville State for game two of the weekend series. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIU.Baseball), Twitter (@FIUBaseball), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUBaseball) for all the latest Baseball news.